Acer Aspire R7 laptop with funky hinge

The Acer Aspire R7 is a laptop that is like no other. The special hinge and stand that attaches the lid to the base, which Acer calls Ezel, makes it possible to use the laptop with the display in almost any position.

The R7 is not small with the 15.6-inch display, although at first glance it seems like the screen must be bigger. The high-res screen (1920x1080) is beautiful and supports operation by multi-touch to take full advantage of Windows 8.

The laptop is beautifully designed and well constructed. It has a futuristic appearance that doesn't look like a notebook computer. The stand that allows positioning the display in a lot of configurations is reminiscent of a portable all-in-one desktop computer that is becoming more common.

What sets the R7 apart from the crowded laptop field is the funky screen stand that allows you to use the device almost any way you want. The screen can be positioned like a standard laptop, lifted up to bring it closer to your eyes, flipped around for viewing media, or used much like a tablet. The hinge is durable and supports the display in many viewing angles spread among the major configurations noted.

In addition to the radical display stand, Acer has a big surprise for you when you open the lid.

Who moved my trackpad?

When you open the Acer Aspire R7 lid for the first time, you will do a major double-take. You may have to look at the laptop a couple of times to convince yourself that the over-sized trackpad is indeed located behind the keyboard.

The trackpad is very large and works well, but it takes some getting used to it being behind the keyboard rather than in front as they have always been located. While I thought I would miss not having a palm rest in front of the keyboard, it's actually comfortable to type without it.

Some folks probably will never get used to having the trackpad up near the screen. Acer has taken a risk with this radical design.

Large, comfortable laptop

When used as a typical laptop, the Aspire R7 is comfortable due to its large size. The backlit keyboard is close and if you can get used to the trackpad location, the R7 is all business with Windows 8.

The display is gorgeous and high-resolution, and the touchscreen is great to use with Windows 8.

The hovering display

The innovative stand on the Acer Aspire R7 makes it possible to use the glossy display in lots of different positions. The configuration becoming my favorite is with the screen lifted up, "hovering" over the trackpad.

In this position, the display is easy to view and operate by touch. You can slide your hand under the display to use the trackpad, or ignore it altogether and just operate the system via the touch screen.

Presentations or movies, it's up to you

Lifting the screen up and flipping it over positions it for viewing from behind the laptop. This is a good configuration for giving presentations or for watching movies on the big, beautiful display.

Lose the trackpad altogether

The stand supports dropping the display between the keyboard and the trackpad, eliminating use of the trackpad altogether. This puts the screen nice and close to you and makes the laptop appear much smaller than it really is.

It seems that covering the trackpad would be silly, but it is surprisingly easy to use the R7 this way by working the interface solely via the touchscreen. I have a feeling some users might like this configuration.

Hide the trackpad

As detailed on the previous slide, with the display between the keyboard and trackpad the R7 becomes a comfortable laptop to use.

Hovering from the side

The hovering display is very nice to use, something you cannot do with any other laptop.

Ezel stand

It is possible to use the Acer Aspire R7 in so many configurations due to the special hinge and stand that Acer calls Ezel. It is durable and holds the display rigidly in any position. It can be a little difficult to move the screen around due to the solid-built stand.

Tablet mode, sort of

Acer is promoting using the Aspire R7 as a tablet, and while that's kind of possible, the Ezel stand gets in the way. The photo above shows the screen down over the keyboard as flat as possible for use as a giant touch tablet.

It lifts up on one side because the stand can only collapse so far. Given the size of the laptop and weight (over 5 lbs), tablet use is not really the strength of the R7.

Chiclet keyboard, strange trackpad location

The keyboard on the R7 works well and fast typists should be happy. While the key travel is decent, the keys when pressed do feel a bit cheap. The keys are backlit for those who like that feature.

The trackpad is buttonless and looks like the large model on the MacBook. It works very well with Windows 8, if you can get used to it being behind the keyboard.

Ports galore

The large case on the Acer Aspire R7 means a lot of ports and controls will fit on the sides.

Left to Right (Left side of laptop):

Proprietary data; HDMI; 2-USB 3.0 (powered); audio in/out

More ports

The large case on the Acer Aspire R7 means a lot of ports and controls will fit on the sides.

Who moved my trackpad?

When you open the Acer Aspire R7 lid for the first time, you will do a major double-take. You may have to look at the laptop a couple of times to convince yourself that the over-sized trackpad is indeed located behind the keyboard.

The trackpad is very large and works well, but it takes some getting used to it being behind the keyboard rather than in front as they have always been located. While I thought I would miss not having a palm rest in front of the keyboard, it's actually comfortable to type without it.

Some folks probably will never get used to having the trackpad up near the screen. Acer has taken a risk with this radical design.

James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long. Prior to joining ZDNet, James was the Founding Editor of jkOnTheRun, a CNET Top 100 Tech Blog that was acquired by GigaOM in 2008 and is now part of that prestigious tech network. James' w...
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